cubba

Uncertain. Possibly from Arabic قُبَّة (qubba, “small tower”), from Aramaic קוּבְּתָא / Classical Syriac ܩܘܼܒ݁ܬ݂ܵܐ (qubbəṯā). Possibly a widespread Mediterranean wanderwort, perhaps, related also to Latin cūpa (“cask, vat”) and/or Arabic قبعة (“cap, hood”), ultimately from Proto-Indo-European *kewp- (“a hollow”), perhaps of substrate origin. Cognate with Portuguese cuba. Compare Sicilian còppula and cappa. Compare also, for more, Classical Syriac ܓܘܒܐ (gubbā) and its cognate gebbia.

• IPA^(key): /ˈkub.ba/, [ˈkub.ba]
• Rhymes: -ubba
• Hyphenation: cùb‧ba

cubba f (plural cubbi)

1. (buildings) a Sicilian vertical building, usually cylindrical, used for storage and/or as a strategic observation point.

• → Italian: cuba, cubba, Cuba, Cubba (regional)